Hassle-Free Electronic Invoicing: Now That’s Hot
HVACR wholesaler heats up efficiency with a cool electronic invoicing system.
Global Logistics-July 2007
Will inadequate transportation infrastructure and congestion negatively impact worldwide economic growth in the years ahead? One transportation leader believes so. “If our transport infrastructure can’t keep pace with the rate of growth, then big question marks hang over the continuation of the kind of economic prosperity that has been delivered this decade,” warned Ron Widdows, […]
Trends-July 2007
The biggest news of 2006 was what didn’t happen, not what did. A year of relative calm, however, isn’t giving way to complacency. Instead, businesses are proactively, if privately, tinkering with and tightening supply chains to streamline processes and build additional scalability into their networks, observed Rosalyn Wilson at the Council of Supply Chain Management […]
Getting Involved in Transloading
When executed correctly, transloading goods from one transport mode to another can help shippers increase flexibility and supply chain velocity, reduce cycle times, effectively plan distribution to meet market demands, and reduce shipping costs. But transloading can be a tricky practice, warns Dan Bourcier, deconsolidation manager for APL Logistics, a logistics provider based in Oakland, […]
Sourcing in a Seller’s Market
Rising commodity prices, growing global consumer demand, and increased political instability have put an end to the buyer’s market in procurement. Today, buyers are just as likely to be “fired” by their suppliers as they are to experience supply chain shortages or out-of-stock notices. So what is this new “seller’s market” like? And is the […]
Sailing Into the New World
The Spanish and Portuguese sailed into the New World half a millennium ago seeking fame and fortune. Today, a new breed of intrepid business explorers is finding safe anchorage in Latin America, targeting the area’s abundant potential for manufacturing and logistics activities in hopes of achieving fame and fortune of their own. Inbound Logistics first […]
Air Cargo Navigates Uncertain Skies
When it’s imperative that freight arrives overnight, or even sooner, shippers of time-critical goods including donor organs, emergency airplane parts, or critical legal or financial documents often turn to Aeropoint Delivery Services, an Atlanta-based time-critical delivery courier. That means Aeropoint is heavily impacted by air cargo trends: when a carrier downsizes a plane on a […]
Industry Outlook: Faring Well, Despite Challenges
Advances in safety and technology contend with stubborn tactical challenges.
Taking Responsibility For Responsible Care
Shippers and industry organizations help push carriers and 3PLs to become RC partners.
Shippers and Carriers Commit to Best Practices
Best practices keep chemical shippers and carriers thriving.
A Study in Terra
Four questions for Joe Giesler, senior v.p. of commercial operations for chemical company Terra Industries, Iowa.
Race To The Border: Catching Up With Latin American Logistics
MORE TO THE STORY: 3PLs Lead the Way With so much focus on the Far East and the West Coast, and to a lesser degree the Near East (Eastern Europe), U.S. consignees and shippers need only look due south to find one of the world’s emerging commercial and outsourced manufacturing and logistics markets. In terms […]
Career Solutions: Meet the Teachers
Who better to comment on the future of the supply chain than the people educating the next generation of logistics executives? Inbound Logistics profiles three dynamic professors on the front lines of logistics education.
Steve Lash: Loco Like A Fox
“A chicken is actually corn with feathers,” Steve Lash says. He should know. Lash is director of supply chain management for El Pollo Loco, a restaurant chain that built its success on citrus-marinated, flame-grilled, Mexican-style chicken. With more than 360 stores in seven states, and a 12-state expansion underway, El Pollo Loco (Spanish for The […]
Buying Insurance: Domestic or Foreign?
Q: I am a logistics operator who handles inbound and outbound shipments for partners around the world. I am currently reviewing insurance options to ensure that my cargo and company are protected against accidents or damages that may occur during transit. My broker recently sent a proposal that fits my needs, but I feel uncomfortable […]
What Are Your Tech Vendors Up To?
Twenty-five years after its initial launch, the annual Distribution Computer Expo is still an important event for previewing the latest in logistics and supply chain technology. The conference is a one-stop shop for catching up with the various providers that power supply chain technology. Here are highlights from my meetings with technology companies that attended […]
Box Ho! RFID Replaces Telescopes
Tired of playing hide and seek with its containers, CIMC finds a new RFID system to help locate product in its yards.
Global Logistics-June 2007
Port congestion remains a common concern for U.S. companies importing goods from overseas, and for good reason: one in nine of the world’s maritime containers are either bound for or coming from the United States, according to America’s Container Ports: Delivering the Goods, a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The report ranks […]
Trends-June 2007
Regardless of their political affiliations or opinions on the Iraq war, logistics and transportation professionals paid close attention to the compromise Iraqi war appropriations supplemental bill signed into law by President Bush in May. The bill contained two provisions impacting supply chain security: funding for port security measures, and further details on the hotly debated […]
Leaning Out Your Supply Chain
Moving toward a lean supply chain means eliminating waste in three ways: reducing working capital; enhancing operational productivity; and improving “build-in” quality and reliability (implementing quality controls on the front end of any process or procedure). Here are 10 ways to get lean, according to Ian Truesdale and Glen Clark of CEVA Logistics, a Jacksonville, […]
Site Selection: Think Globally, Act Locally
The globalization of commerce has created a new infrastructure that is fast becoming the backbone of our information economy. This change also affects worldwide logistics operations. Because of the global economy, companies have a greater need to operate their supply chains at maximum efficiency. To achieve these results, many Fortune 500 corporations—along with small and […]
Transportation as Corporate Change Agent
For many years, transportation was considered the backwater of the business world. Over the last decade, however, forward-thinking companies have identified transportation as a driving force for change. As a result, they realized increased profits and improved customer service throughout the supply chain. Wal-Mart, for example, uses its distribution savvy to dominate the retail field—and […]
Restricted Party Screening: Who Are You Doing Business With?
Exporters and financial institutions historically used Restricted Party Screening (RPS) solutions to determine whether the names and addresses of their consignees appeared on any “denied parties” lists. Today, companies recognize that they may not deal in any way with certain blacklisted parties. Since Sept. 11, 2001, regulatory agencies have made clear their expectations that companies […]
Forklift Fleet Cost Management: It’s a Question of Time and Savings
Abundant questions and costs surround forklift fleet management; finding the answers and controlling those costs can be illusive. Many forklift fleet managers have a difficult time providing accurate answers to the myriad questions that need to be addressed (see sidebar, below). But accurately answering these questions can mean the difference between saving tens of thousands […]
Customers Handle the Final Mile for Wal-Mart?
The first job of my post-college career included replenishing inventory at a large book distributor’s New York City warehouses. Like many urban warehouses, the multi-storied building took advantage of a vertical footprint, rather than the horizontal footprint of today’s warehouses. All inventory moved in and out via the dreaded “freight elevator.” Dim lights, no air, […]
Hello? I’d Like to Order a New Fulfillment System, Please
A new order fulfillment system keeps catalog retailer Redcats purring.
Designing the Perfect Warehouse
Designing the perfect warehouse is an area where even angels can fear to tread. The devil is in managing myriad details, complicated by the fact that a design made in heaven is never the same for any two facilities-even within the same organization. While the process is exhaustively detail-laden, fortunately it can be broken down […]
Warehouse Safety: It’s No Accident
Careful planning and a dedication to safety are top priorities for keeping warehouse workers injury-free. Here is your no-slip, no-trip, ergonomically correct guide to warehouse safety.
Navigating U.S. Site Selection
A regional guide to U.S. logistics and distribution hotspots.
Caribbean Logistics: Ports Poised for Growth
As the Caribbean islands cruise toward CSME implementation, and the new free flow of trade it brings, ports in the region are investing in new facilities, services, and security.
John Rickard: Logistics With a Human Touch
Try this logistics experiment: Drop packages of food from a helicopter onto a field filled with football and rugby players and see if anyone gets hurt. That’s the exercise John Rickard and his associates at the relief agency International Rescue Committee (IRC) conducted in 1999 while laying plans for a humanitarian mission in the mountains […]
3PLs and Carriers: Desperately Seeking Tech Solutions
Shippers are a demanding bunch. They want their goods picked up and delivered at the right time and to the right place—every time. They expect shipments to be transported without damage, while complying with security regulations and customer mandates. They need reporting capabilities, online access to data, and superior customer service. Oh, and they want […]
A Labor Management Tool For All Seasons
Raising the heat on worker productivity and efficiency was key for Four Seasons Temperature Control. A labor management system helped it achieve that—plus some cool savings.
Global Logistics-May 2007
To find proof that shopping is good for the economy—and for logistics providers—businesses need only look to Russia. Retailers in the former Soviet Union are expanding rapidly, and bringing active logistics development along with them, finds a new study from global consulting firm Capgemini. The study, which examines Russia’s logistics and infrastructure capabilities, reveals several […]
Automating Workflow Management
By automating supply chain workflow, private fleet operators, carriers, and third-party logistics providers can more easily gather and utilize information, and communicate with their suppliers and customers more effectively. It also helps them gain a leg up on the competition. Workflow management software systems (WfM) are helpful, but they can also be challenging to manage […]
TMS Shopping Made Simple
During my 15 years as a transportation technology professional, I have stood on both sides of the trade show aisle—shopping for and selling transportation management systems (TMS). Navigating the technology marketplace, as I have learned, is no easy task. It can make purchasing a TMS downright frustrating. If you are in the process of selecting […]
Easing the Pain of Product Proliferation
Product proliferation—the explosion in the number of individual stock-keeping units (SKUs) that has occurred over the past decade—poses a major challenge to supply chain managers and adds millions of dollars to logistics costs. In large part, product proliferation stems from the trend toward mass customization—providing consumers with custom-designed, personalized products at affordable prices. Other trends […]
IT’s Unexpected Benefits
When you invest in logistics IT, you expect to net the obvious results: implement a TMS and transportation operations run without a hitch; buy a WMS and goods flow smoothly in and out of the warehouse. But when shippers and logistics service providers adopt demand-driven ideas, and implement the technology and/or services to put that […]
J.Jill Arrives Fashionably Light
A new put-to-light system lets women’s clothing retailer J.Jill keep up with growing volume in style.
Defining Technology Trends
A look at five emerging technologies powering today’s supply chains.
IT Perspectives 2007: Logistics IT Market Insight Survey
IL’s exclusive research polls IT providers to gauge their perspectives on logistics IT challenges, solutions, and opportunities. Their answers provide an in-depth look at the state of the logistics IT market.
SMB Logistics: Small is the New Big
Small and mid-size businesses leverage new market offerings to level the playing field.
Truckers Get Connected
Boosting safety, productivity, and efficiency, sophisticated wireless technologies link vehicles, drivers, and shipping data to the world.
Debbie E. Jackson: Life at the End of the ERP Tunnel
Debbie Jackson is starting to get her life back. It has been on hold since late 2003, while she and her colleagues at Johns Hopkins University endured one of the truly harrowing ordeals of business life: a major ERP implementation. As supply chain procurement team lead for HopkinsOne—the initiative to move all the Johns Hopkins […]
Filing Claims: Time Is Not on Your Side
Q: My company imports ceramic products from around the world. One shipment arrived at our warehouse filled with crushed boxes – inside, the contents were completely shattered. It appeared that the container was mishandled and possibly dropped during transit. We took inventory of the damaged items and submitted a claim to the ocean carrier. We […]
Rumble in the IT Jungle: ERP vs. Best-of-Breed
If the logistics software world held a heavyweight championship fight, it would feature ERP systems such as Oracle, SAP, and Infor in one corner, versus best-of-breed providers – Manhattan Associates, i2, and HighJump – in the other. While ERP may be the reigning champ, best-of-breed is a serious challenger, and the fight would go quite […]
I Heard IT Through the Grapevine
When The Henry Wine Group uncorks a new logistics system, accurate inbound freight updates and improved communication pour out.
Trends-April 2007
As shippers know all too well, finding capacity to move goods throughout the United States is not always easy. To avoid over-the-road congestion, shippers may opt to use rail, but rail transportation comes with its own litany of challenges, including a lack of available track and a dearth of infrastructure improvements made over the years. […]
Improving Inventory Accuracy
Inventory accuracy is vitally important; the challenge lies in achieving it. Out-of-stock items cause profit loss, but paying for inventory storage and transportation also impacts the bottom line. To guide your company in the right direction, Mike Honious, vice president of engineering, Ozburn-Hessey Logistics, shares 10 practical ways to improve inventory accuracy. 1. Pick a […]
Inland Ports Make “Location” Matter More
It has become a tired axiom that the three most important success factors in real estate are location, location, and location. But this statement has never been more true, especially with global trade and transportation trends driving demand for large, exceptionally well-located distribution and logistics facilities. Consider the reality of U.S. global trade and transportation […]
Hitting the Asset-Tracking Trifecta: Bet on Visibility, ROI, and Safety
Throughout the transportation industry, losses due to cargo shrink (theft, damage, and spoilage) total an estimated $100 billion annually. Many companies have turned to RFID to help prevent cargo shrink, monitoring assets throughout the supply chain so they can identify when a particular asset enters or departs one facility or another. This method, however, doesn’t […]
Global Sourcing: The Path to High Performance
Leading organizations on the path to high performance are those that accelerate global sourcing strategies, drive aggressive cost reductions, and look to contract manufacturing to leverage and expand the value of their brand. Most significantly, these organizations plan to double their spend on low-cost country sourcing in the next three years. High-performance businesses are masters […]
Playing Politics with Homeland Security: 100-Percent Wrong
If you source or sell anything overseas, you are no doubt aware of Senator Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) efforts to mandate 100-percent scanning of inbound containers through an amendment to the SAFE Port Act. As part of the effort to get the amendment adopted, Schumer, along with eight other Democratic senators—Obama, Clinton, Menendez, Kerry, Kennedy, and […]
Aerial’s DC Makeover: It’s a Beautiful Thing
A beauty supply company gives its DC a makeover. Now productivity comes in permanent waves.
Global Supply Chain Networks: Eye for Design
To take advantage of global sourcing and manufacturing cost efficiencies—and to tap into burgeoning consumer markets overseas—companies must put as much effort into designing their global supply chain as they do in managing it. Old habits die hard, but forward-thinking companies are embracing a holistic approach to design.
CEE Change: Central & Eastern Europe Makes Waves
Nearly two decades removed from the fall of Communism, Central and Eastern Europe is transforming into a pivotal global logistics hub. Hungary for more information? Czech it out.
Furniture Logistics Finds its Legs
When a production shift from the Midwest to Asia rearranged the furniture industry, it did some interior design—polishing transport operations, dusting off collaboration efforts, and brushing up on new technology. Was this a competitive strategy that wood work?
Brent Shinall: Bursting with Energy
When Brent Shinall grew bored with his job as manufacturing engineer for hypersonic engine maker Pratt & Whitney, he started exploring new career opportunities. “I saw people in the purchasing department working with suppliers and negotiating contracts, and thought, ‘That looks like more fun,’” he recalls. So when the company’s purchasing manager needed an engineer […]
Global Technology Gets Hyperactive
Few people in this industry are better suited to wax poetic about globalization and technology than Supreet Manchanda, executive vice president/chief technology and corporate development officer for Brentwood, Tenn.-based 3PL Ozburn-Hessey Logistics. What Manchanda calls his “weird genealogy”—born in India, raised in Africa, educated in London, and a former resident of New York City, Silicon […]
IT Cleanup, Aisle 3
Migrating to a single technology platform and translating SAP transactions onto handheld terminals were high on Wawa’s IT shopping list. It checked off both with SAP.
Trends-Mar 2007
To prepare for the much hyped and debated Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program, the Department of Homeland Security has issued a final rule for rolling out the initiative. The TWIC program, expected to begin this month, attempts to enhance port security by checking the background of workers before they are granted unescorted access to […]
Global Logistics-March 2007
Across virtually all industries and geographic regions, manufacturers share one common goal: to increase profitability by reducing costs. A growing number of manufacturers, both in the United States and around the world, have embraced global sourcing as a fast-track method for achieving that goal. Global sourcing first took off in the 1980s and has increased […]
Improving Your Security Program
Security breaches in the United States cost industry tens of billions of dollars each year. If you manufacture, distribute, or ship high-value items, security within your company is at risk of being compromised. Preventing security breaches—in your facilities, and when your cargo is being loaded or unloaded for transit—is key. Here are 10 tips for […]
Driver-Shortage Issues: Carriers Get Creative
With trucking demand projected to exceed capacity for the next 15 years, and drivers retiring or leaving the business faster than they can be replaced, trucking companies and third-party logistics providers are scrambling to protect themselves from serious operating disruptions caused by driver-shortage issues. Shippers, in turn, feel the impact of the problem when contracting […]
To Hang On, Let Go of Antiquated Processes
In today’s brutally competitive environment, manufacturers are discovering that the only way they can hang on is to let go. They are realizing they must abandon antiquated business processes and take full advantage of the affordable and sophisticated technologies available to them that automate and enhance processes throughout the plant. Letting go is no easy […]
New Frontiers in Learning
Few logisticians and supply chain managers will dispute the value of practical, real-world, get-your-hands-dirty learning experiences. But the rapidity of global change, the proliferation of new supply chain networks and partnerships, and the velocity of logistics IT innovation challenges practitioners, such as you, to keep pace with the times. Improving your logistics skillset has an […]
Back to School? Start Your Search Here
Succeeding in the logistics field often requires an advanced degree. But finding the right school to attend sometimes comes with an advanced degree of aggravation. Inbound Logistics is here to help.
Change Drivers: Navigating the New Auto Supply Chain
Globalization, evolving supplier roles, and new network design models are driving change across the U.S. automotive industry. Logistics management is where the rubber meets the road.
Ivan Figueroa: A Man Who Plays Many Parts
Ivan Figueroa leads a double life. As global logistics manager for Radiant Systems in Alpharetta, Ga., he keeps distribution centers throughout the world supplied with spare parts for his company’s point-of-sale systems. In his other role as council member of the newly formed city of Johns Creek, Ga., he wrestles with zoning and planning questions […]
Shifted Contents, Shared Responsibility
Q: My warehouse often receives containers holding cargo that has shifted or collapsed against itself. Apart from any risk we face for cargo damage while unloading the containers, I feel this also presents a hazard to my workers. What can I do to protect my company and my employees? A: Unfortunately, containers often house improperly […]
Logistics in the Blogosphere
Say what you will about blogging—that it democratizes information dissemination, or, adversely, that it is killing well-edited, fact-checked journalism—logistics professionals have embraced it. Because of their low-tech, easy-to-use nature, blogs have exploded not only as forums to discuss celebrity and political goings-on, but as a resource tool for finding solutions to real business challenges. While […]
Burton Brings Vendors On Board
Snowboarding gear manufacturer Burton bails on its freestyle WIP reports and launches a visibility suite that sticks.
Global Logistics-February 2007
Pursuing profitable growth pays off. That’s the valuable lesson the global air cargo industry learned in 2006, says Giovanni Bisignani, CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). IATA’s recently released 2006 data shows air cargo growth increased from 3.2 percent in 2005 to 4.6 percent in 2006. Although the increase remains below the historical […]
Trends-February 2007
While DHL is a fixture on airport runways around the world, the company debuted on a different kind of runway earlier this month, as the official express carrier and logistics provider for IMG Fashion’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City. As part of its deal with IMG Fashion, DHL operated shipping service kiosks for […]
Creating an Inbound Routing Guide
Used properly, inbound routing guides can streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance trading partner relationships. Pete Stiles, vice president of strategy and marketing, LeanLogistics, offers these tips for creating a routing guide that your vendors will comply to. 1. Understand what a routing guide is and clearly define its parameters. Routing guides contain routing instructions […]
Logistics Developers Embrace the ‘P Word’
The real estate development community in the United States has performed a dramatic about-face when it comes to forming development partnerships. Developers have realized the dreaded ‘P word’ may be necessary for certain projects. This new attitude pays off for real estate developers providing build-to-suit logistics facilities because they operate in a changed reality shaped […]
U.S. Airlines Need an Attitude Adjustment
Airlines in the United States contain a hidden treasure. But through indifference, disinterest, and even disdain, this treasure never will reveal its true worth unless and until senior airline management realizes the importance of freight operations. The passenger side of the industry is doing comparatively well five years after the Sept. 11 attacks—with packed airplanes […]
8 Common-Sense Rules for Inventory Management
Inventory management is a hot topic. Books about the subject abound and there are many detailed techniques and practices, which vary by industry. When looking at the big picture, however, you can reduce much of the philosophizing about inventory management to the following eight common-sense principles. 1. If you don’ t know where you are […]
How Do You Spell Transportation Budget Relief? TSM
The increasingly complicated nature of global shipping, coupled with a shift in transportation budgeting from basic transportation costs to a base plus accessorial charges billing standard, has made managing transportation budgets extremely challenging. The good news? This cloud has a silver lining—it is called Transportation Spend Management (TSM). TSM is the practice of targeting specific […]
Freezing Transport Costs in Their Tracks
To get its potato products from the freezer to the fryer more effectively, food distributor Martin-Brower migrates to rail shipping. The cost savings are gravy.
The Human Touch (Felecia Stratton)
When was the last time you shared a drink with your WMS, complimented your forklift, or gave your computer a pat on the back? Accidental coffee spills and wishful coaxing aside, probably never, and for good reason. Machines may help get the job done faster and more efficiently, but the real power behind the supply […]
Hidden Heroes Power the Supply Chain (Keith Biondo)
Some people manage simple logistics systems. Others face logistics complexities that stretch beyond their ability to master them. Some people oversee logistics flows across the globe. Others run a seemingly never-ending closed loop of highly disciplined product flow within the confines of a single state. Some logistics managers operate a transport program that flat-lines for […]
Mobile Computers Dispense Productivity
Seaquist Closures opens the door toenhanced productivity and inventory accuracy with mobile computers
People: The Power Behind the Supply Chain
The most important link in the supply chain is the one who gets up every morning, drinks a cup of coffee, and gets down to work.
People: Bill O’Brien, Havi Food Services
Bill O’Brien looks for challenges on the road less traveled. If someone has already been there and done that, chances are he’ll veer in the opposite direction. As president of Havi Food Services in China, O’Brien has charted an unconventional course—overseeing from scratch the development of a world-class cold chain in a region plagued by […]
People: Glenn Eisen, Retired Logistics Professional
After a long and distinguished logistics career, Glenn Eisen could have embraced a guilt-free retirement filled with golf, travel, and early-bird specials. Instead, he spends his days lending his logistics and emergency medical skills to disaster relief efforts, and mentoring young entrepreneurs about the ins and outs of business management. “I have a lot of […]
People: Vicki O’Meara, Ryder
What’s a high-powered environmental attorney doing at the head of a logistics services business? Having the time of her life. “I can’t think of a better opportunity for someone who likes to lead and grow organizations,” says Vicki O’Meara, president since 2005 of U.S. Supply Chain Solutions (SCS) for Miami-based Ryder. For a woman who […]
People: Bob Willett, Best Buy
In June 2006, Bob Willett, CEO of Best Buy International, was a speaker at AMR Research’s Supply Chain Executive Conference, where he followed a keynote speech by former President Bill Clinton. In his introduction, Willett warned the audience not to expect much from him. “After all, I’m just a simple shopkeeper,” he explained. “Simple shopkeeper” […]
People: Junki Yoshida, Yoshida Group
Having a joke, an antic, or a light-hearted observation for every occasion is trademark for Junki Yoshida, chairman and CEO of the Oregon-based Yoshida Group, parent company of OIA Global Logistics. On his conglomerate’s web page, he pops up as a smiling Uncle Sam, an improbable Elvis, even a lasso-swinging cowboy. At Yoshida’s Wine Bar […]
People: Fred Towns, New Age Electronics
Ask Fred Towns what he likes about his job and the words spill out of his mouth, tumbling over each other at a dizzying pace that leaves you somewhere between hanging on each one and hoping you can process it all fast enough to keep up. Thanks to his varied career, Towns has a lot […]
People: Jim Kellso, Intel Corp.
When a tree falls in the Bolivian rain forest, someone might not be around to hear it, but there’s a good chance it is being tracked with RFID, thanks in part to Jim Kellso. Kellso, whose day job is planning Intel’s supply chain future, helped the Nature Conservancy implement an RFID program that lets it […]
5 Burning Questions
Complicated questions abound in the supply chain industry and some weigh more heavily on logistics professionals than others. To find answers to some recurring quandaries, Inbound Logistics put some of the industry’s top experts on the hot seat and fired away.
Demand-Driven Logistics: Adjusting Focus
Picture this: 80 percent of your traditional business disappears within five years. For Eastman Kodak, positioning a demand-driven supply chain model to fit this redefined market required vision, an eye for detail, and precise timing. Here’s what developed.
Retail Logistics: Shopping for the Right Site
Retailers buy into the impact global outsourcing has on their transportation practices, and now think twice about whom to partner with, and where to locate stores and distribution facilities.
How Do They Ship That?
Moving cargo in today’s transportation environment is tough enough as is. Throw in a few tricky variables—living, oversized goods; super-tight time constraints; and far-flung destinations—and you have a recipe for trouble. But for some shippers and transportation providers, it is all in a day’s work. Here’s how they do it.
Washington Report 2007: Looking Back, Moving Forward
MORE TO THE STORY: Legislative Lingo: What’s In A Name? The coming year promises to be a major watershed for U.S. government and industry alike as political power shifts on Capitol Hill and long-anticipated transportation legislation finally comes to pass. The new direction of a Democrat-led Congress will have a major impact on the transportation […]
Supply Chain MythBusters
It’s a tough job separating supply chain truth from hype, but Inbound Logistics is here to serve. With a tip of our beret to the Discovery Channel show MythBusters, we set out to prove or bust three supply chain “myths’ currently circulating through the logistics industry.
Global Sourcing Strategies: Pacific Rim Playbook
Sourcing components and raw materials from the Pacific Rim is no longer a cutting-edge logistics strategy; it has become commonplace. But that doesn’t make it any less complicated. “The cost efficiencies gained by sourcing in Asia and India lured many companies into overseas trade,” explains Jon Routledge, vice president international sales-express, DHL. “And they face […]
Extreme Makeover: Supply Chain Edition
Transforming sub-par supply chains into competitive powerhouses takes knowledge, persistence, and guts. So move that bus, and see how it’s done.